If Life Were Like A Shojo Manga
by Tora Minamino
Summary: Yayoi's convinced that Himeno's life bears a striking resemblance to a shoujo manga, although Himeno refuses to believe it. However, she gets a bit of a surprise when Hayate shows up to walk her home. HimenoxHayate.


"What're you reading?"

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Himeno Awayuki realized that she should have known better than to ask such a question. A familiar, dreamy expression came over the face of her best friend as she sat her book on the table, one hand between the pages and the other clasped to her cheek.

"It's this manga I've been following," Yayoi replied, and for a second, she seemed almost normal. Himeno almost breathed a sigh of relief, but was cut off by Yayoi's squeal of, "It's so cute! Oh, I wish my life were like that. To faint and wake up in the arms of a handsome prince…He'd smile, and his head would lean closer to mine, and then…and then!"

Yayoi was apparently unable to express exactly what came next in words, for she let out another delighted squeal, both hands now clenched into fists.

Himeno chuckled nervously. It wasn't as if she wasn't accustomed to her friend's outbursts, but she still had yet to find an appropriate response that would actually succeed in calming Yayoi, rather than spurring her to even greater fantasies.

"Of course, you're lucky, Himeno," Yayoi continued. "Your life practically is like a shoujo manga. I mean, you have seven knights protecting you, four of whom are amazingly handsome!"

Himeno merely snorted in response. Her life? Sure she had the knights, but three of them were kids, even if he wasn't taken by Takako, she wouldn't stand a chance with Sasame, Kei was too much of a know-it-all, and Go was nice, but was more like a big brother than a potential boyfriend. And Hayate? What a jerk, Himeno thought, although she couldn't deny that her heart beat a little faster every time she thought of him. And there was that kiss…But that was to save her life! It didn't mean anything, nothing at all! Absolutely nothing! Still, she remembered the feel of his breathe on her face and the expression of relief he wore as she opened her eyes with a certain fondness, quite unlike anything she'd ever experienced. But Yayoi's claims were still ridiculous. Her life was not like a manga…Well, perhaps a little bit, but not like the kind of sappy stuff that Yayoi read.

Speaking of Hayate, didn't he still have something to say to her? That was right; he'd said he had something he wanted to tell her once the final battle with Takako was over, but afterwards he had become flustered when she reminded him about it and had refused to say a word on the subject. She'd get it out of him this afternoon though. He had no business keeping it a secret when he'd said he would tell her. The more Himeno brooded over it, the angrier she became, and by the time the bell rang, she had worked herself up so much that she was absolutely furious, even if it was a trivial matter.

"Himeno, it looks like there's someone waiting for you," Yayoi announced as the pair exited the school.

Himeno was so focused on how she would get the secret out of Hayate that she didn't even register the playful tone in her friend's voice. Instead, she glanced in the direction Yayoi was pointing in and suddenly felt her face heat up. She was certain she must have been positively glowing, but why? In front of the school gates stood the very person she had been annoyed with all day, yet now that she was faced with the prospect of speaking to him, that annoyance had subsided greatly. In fact, despite efforts to suppress it, she actually felt the corners of her mouth twitching, itching for her to smile at him.

Hayate had caught sight of Himeno and raised his hand in a sort of wave.

"I'll leave you two alone," Yayoi announced, the dreamy expression having once again dawned on her face.

"Wait! No, stay!"

But Yayoi had hurried off, and Himeno now found herself confronted with the very last person she wanted to speak to at the moment, although she had previously been so eager to tell him off.

"Hi," Himeno muttered awkwardly.

Hayate didn't respond, but instead began walking, heading in the direction of Himeno's home. Walking quickly in order to keep up with his longer strides, Himeno followed.

After several minutes of extremely uncomfortable silence, Himeno simply couldn't stand it any longer.

"Hey, Hayate, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"You said you had something to tell me once the battle with Takako was over, but you still haven't," the Pretear chided. "So what is it?"

"You sure are dense," Hayate grunted, not halting or even looking back. "Tulip head."

Immediately, Himeno's fist connected with the back of Hayate's head, sending him flying face forward into the pavement.

"What was that for?" he griped, pulling himself up while clutching his injured forehead.

"My hairstyle looks nothing like a tulip! And don't go around calling people idiots, idiot! Why'd you bother waiting for me if you were just going to be a jerk?"

"Fine, then I won't bother walking you home again!"

As she watched Hayate storm off, Himeno felt a pang of guilt. Even if he was tactless and rude, he'd still been trying to do something nice for her.

"Hayate, wait!"

"What?" the knight of wind said impatiently, turning to face Himeno.

Himeno crossed her arms and, somewhat begrudgingly, replied, "I'm sorry." Then, after a second's hesitation, she added, "Would you still be willing to walk me home?"

Hayate sighed, although he was grinning, and said, "I suppose that's the best apology I'm going to get?"

"Yep," came the reply. "Besides, you started it, so you're the one who should be apologizing."

"You'll have to make do with me walking you home instead."

Himeno scowled, but took Hayate's hand and resumed walking.

The rest of the trip was almost completely silent, with brief attempts at uneasy conversation only rarely interrupting the quiet. However, Hayate and Himeno both seemed to be in considerably better moods by the tame they reached the Awayuki mansion.

"So what is it you were going to tell me?" Himeno repeated. She desperately wanted to know, and now was probably as good a chance to get it out of Hayate as there ever would be.

Rather than the scathing reply that Himeno expected, Hayate made no comment. Instead, he blushed furiously. Himeno had seen him blush on only a few previous occasions, but on none of them had he ever appeared to be this embarrassed. Turning redder still, he leaned forward and pressed his lips quickly and gently against her cheek, withdrawing almost immediately.

He darted off, and although Himeno would have liked to pursue him, she was rooted to the spot, her legs so weak that they could barely support her own weight, let alone run. There was certainly no explaining away _that_ kiss. Perhaps, she mused, her hand held gingerly to the spot where Hayate had kissed her, for once, Yayoi had a point.


End file.
